PETALING JAYA: Natasha Andrea Oon capped her encouraging return to the LPGA Tour by finishing tied 53rd at the Fortinet Founders Cup in California on Sunday (March 22).
The 25-year-old marked her scorecard with three bogeys to sign off with a three-over 75 for an overall even-par 288 at Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club.
South Korea's Kim Hyo-joo clinched the title on 16-under 272, one shot ahead of American Nelly Korda.
The weekend proved to be testing for the former SEA Games silver medallist golfer but it also marked a big step forward in her long-awaited full-season debut.
Natasha had shown her quality earlier in the tournament, producing back-to-back under-par rounds to move into the top 30 at the half-way stage.
She also managed to sink multiple eagles, proving her worth to stand up against the world's best.
It was a welcome relief for Natasha as her progress had been halted by injury at a crucial stage of her career.
She had earned her LPGA Tour card in 2023 after finishing second on the Epson Tour standings, registering one win and eight top-10 finishes in the feeder circuit.
But a serious foot injury forced a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Natasha will have an immediate opportunity to build on this momentum at this week's Ford Championship in Arizona.
